The new-wave acts of the early '80s represent everything that mainstream pop acts aren't so free to be today. Imagine One Direction hitting the stage dressed like Kajagoogoo. Would teenage girls still go wild? Would Taylor Swift have dated one of them?

It's that time of year again when journalists speculate about what might happen in the year ahead. Following last year's crystal-ball gazing, I present my forecasts for 2013. By my reckoning it's going to be another barnburner for the gay community.

George Michael's body of work may ascend to the heavens but our unforgiving memory will always make sure he is associated with that which we deemed regrettable. If some mistakes are built to last, we must also believe that some mistakes are built to dissolve.

Ricky Martin may have lost half his market value when he came out, but he is an inspiration to countless singers around the world. Out gay singers are far more popular than you would imagine. Here are a few you may not have heard of, and some who are definitely worth listening to.

Why are teenagers listening to music that their parents were dancing to 25 years ago instead of rebelling against it? When I was 13, I may have had some knowledge of pop stars from a quarter century earlier, but I certainly didn't like any of their music.

Prior to The Oscars' embracing Outasight's "Tonight Is The Night" -- well, not with an award but with broadcast muscle -- the single had airplay on over 115 Top 40 radio stations, sales of over 530,000 copies, over 18,000 daily streams on Spotify, and over 5 million views on YouTube.

Over the next two weeks, I'm going to share a series of interviews with some of the music industry's heroes and working stiffs who literally brought you this year's awesome Grammy Awards with nary a hiccup. First up at bat is Phil Ramone.